God's Power Is Not Limited By Death

The lives of great leaders and celebrities are often defined by their final moments, but for the saints, death is simply the beginning of a new chapter of work from heaven. This is especially clear in the case of stigmatists, whose bodies continue to exhibit miraculous wonders long after their death. These wonders, known as bodily incorruptibility, serve as a testament to God's continued work through His saints. We can see this divine action in the lives of St. Clare of Montefalco, St. Rita of Cascia, and St. Teresa of Avila, all of whom continue to intercede on behalf of the faithful from their place in eternal life.

St. Clare of Montefalco, who died in 1308, provides a particularly powerful example. For her canonization, the Catholic Church was presented with 35 proposed miracles, from which six were chosen as "beyond all doubt." The most remarkable of these was the discovery of Jesus' passion imprinted on her heart during an autopsy. A cross, a scourge, a pillar, and other symbols of the Crucifixion were found graven within her heart tissue, a physical sign of her deep spiritual union with Christ. In addition to this incredible phenomenon, five other miracles—including the instantaneous healing of a boy with a "monstrous" disability and a child with "cancer of the eyes"—were attributed to her intercession, demonstrating her active role in the lives of others even after her death.

Similarly, the bodies of St. Rita of Cascia and St. Teresa of Avila have provided powerful evidence of God's grace. St. Rita's body, which was never embalmed, was found to be incorrupt 171 years after her death and emitted a sweet scent, known as the "odor of sanctity," rather than the expected odor of decay. Her miraculous intercession was also proven by the healing of a girl with smallpox-induced blindness who was instantly cured after receiving a piece of cloth that had touched the saint's body. St. Teresa of Avila's body also defied natural science, remaining incorrupt despite being buried in wet, muddy conditions. It was exhumed multiple times over centuries—including as recently as 2024—and consistently found to be miraculously preserved, a lasting sign of her holiness. These incorrupt saints remind us that God's power is not limited by death and that we can turn to them for their powerful prayers and help.